Lee: He helped me to get my contract with Decca Records, and then I appeared on all the major variety shows: Steve Allen, Perry Como ... without a record, that’s unheard of in that time.

Ross [reporting]: The little girl from Georgia had found fame.
And soon she would find her one true love… Ronnie Shacklett.

Ross: You’ve been married 44 years.

Lee: Yes, 44 years. I was 18, he was 19.

Ross: How do you maintain marriage in the middle of this business that marriages last – talk about 40 years, they don’t last 40 minutes. That you’ve lasted this long. How many children do you have?

Lee: Two children and three grandchildren.

Ross: How have you done that? How have you done that?

Lee: You know God is good.

Ross: Yes, He is.

Lee: I think you know, He was looking out for me when I chose my husband. I wanted somebody with integrity, honesty and somebody that loved me .. and that would protect me and take care of me. I have found that. And I can only attribute that to God.

Ross: In this industry again, in a marriage, has prayer been an integrated part of your life?

Lee: Oh yeah, yes always ... always prayer.

Ross: Has your perception of God changed over the years since the beginning -- with this little 7-year-old girl to talk to the woman that you are today?

Lee: God has never disappointed me.

Ross: Yeah.

Lee: My belief in Him, my love of Him has been constant. And His belief in me, and His love for me has been constant.

Ross [reporting]: Inspired by her love for God, Brenda Lee has just released a new CD –Gospel Duets With Treasured Friends.

Lee: Growing up in the church in the South, those are songs that I sang as a little girl. And my mom loved these songs, and she always wanted me to do a Gospel album. That was mainly the reason I did it, and I was blessed that she was able to hear it before she passed away last November. She was able to hear it, and she loved it.

Ross [reporting]: This project also holds personal meaning for Brenda. It’s the first Gospel album she’s ever recorded. And she’s eager to share the music that strengthened her faith with her.

Ross: Where do you go from this – the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock 'n Roll Hall. Is there anything else?

Lee: Well you know ... where you go, you go back out to the people that put me here -- the people that paid their hard earned money to come see the shows and buy the records support your career through this many years. And I’ve had more days in the sun than I ever dreamed possible. So you go back out to the people and sing for them, and you thank them.